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Even though Seymour insisted that it was just another opponent and not a “special” game playing against the Patriots for the first time since he left New England after eight years of service with three championship rings, he seemed to be emotionally charged during the Pats’ first offensive possession and committed two critical penalties for 30 yards.

Seymour’s unnecessary roughness violation and face mask penalty — both costing 15 yards — were paramount at the start of the Patriots’ 80-yard touchdown drive that resulted in a 7-3 lead.

“There was no extra motivation; this was just like any other game,” Seymour said. “It was a long day for us defensively.”

Things started out promising for Seymour. On the Pats’ first offensive play of the game, with Raiders fans howling, Seymour busted up the middle through a seam in the offensive line and was held by center Dan Connolly. The Patriots were assessed a 10-yard penalty.

“It was like any other game in terms of how I was blocked,” Seymour said of the Patriots scheme to contain him.

However, three plays later fortunes turned for Seymour. On third-and-9 from the Pats 21-yard line, the visitors were flagged for delay of game and the officials blew the play dead. Seymour continued to charge unabated to Tom Brady, grabbed him and slung him to the ground for the unnecessary roughness penalty.

“(The officials) said they blew the whistle, but it was so loud I never heard the whistle,” Seymour said. “I mean we are in the Black Hole, so I couldn’t hear our middle linebacker tell me the call, let alone the whistle.”

When told that Brady mentioned in the postgame press conference that Seymour threw him down lightly on the unsportsmanlike penalty, Seymour smiled and said, “I’ll talk to him about that.”

The penalty gave the Patriots a first down on their 36 instead of a third-and-14 on their 16.

“No excuses, but that didn’t (determine) the outcome of the game,” Seymour said. “I didn’t know whether (Brady) had the ball or didn’t, and then I felt the ball so I continued to take him down when he wasn’t down. That’s the only way I know how to play.”

Four plays later, Seymour was caught grabbing the face mask of Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis as he ran into the pile on a 4-yard gain. The penalty put the Pats on the Raiders 32.

“I did grab his face mask for sure, but I thought it was a 5-yard penalty,” Seymour said. “I have got to do a better job of tackling.”

Seymour, who had three tackles on the day, was also flagged for offsides in the second quarter, but that penalty was declined.

Asked if the loss to his former team had a special sting to it, Seymour responded: “No, any game you play you want to win. Our objective every week is to win, and when you don’t get that done it is very disappointing.”